My Lucky Day

On the way into work this morning I received a message from one of my avian constituents.  On my right shoulder, narrowly missing my head – I’ve heard that this is supposed to be a sign of good luck – although that just sounds like something you might say to cheer up someone with fresh bird crap on them.

But when I got into the office, I discovered, quite by chance, that I’m on the front page of http://youdecide2007.org/

Gemma Snowden, one of the citizen journalists registered with the site, recorded the Politics in the Pub I spoke at last Tuesday, and they’ve posted my speech on this page.

Here’s the video – again reinforcing the burning need for me to get a haircut.  Preferably before I speak at the Brisbane Inner West Chamber of Commerce function tomorrow night.

I only slightly modified my launch speech for the night, and was intrigued to discover my girlfriend didn’t recognise it – so had either not been listening the first time I gave it, or the second, or either time perhaps.

BIWCC Meet the Candidate Night

 Wednesday Night, 21st November 

Brisbane Workers Community Centre – 2 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Q 4064 (Entrance & Car Park at rear off Given Terrace)

6PM Attendees arrival for the 7PM Formal Candidate Statements, then question time
Attendees will be charged $10 . Includes Nibble plates of food. The Centre’s bar will be open.

Brisbane Inner West Chamber of Commerce The Voice of Businesses in Milton, Paddington,
Rosalie, Bardon, Red Hill and Auchenflower

PO Box 1268, Milton Qld 4064
enquiries@innerwestchamber.com.au
www.innerwestchamber.com.au

Chaman

I got home last night from a Walk Against Warming meeting, already damp from the light rain. Within 20 minutes of getting home, Chaman came out of his room, holding some broken pieces of perspex. His skylight had broken, leaving a gap about the size of a dinner plate.

So I scrabbled together a rudimentary emergency roofing kit, and climbed up onto the slick, dark, sloping roof, to somehow bind a bin bag over the hole. In the rain.

As I was perched up there, watching the lightning in the distance and trying not to fall off, I realised that our roof is just about the highest point in our area. I eventually got a patch in place, just as the rain hit it’s hardest (which wasn’t really all that bad) and scampered down.

I first met Chaman three and a half years ago, on the day he and a group of other Afghan refugees finally arrived on mainland Australia. Which was three years after he landed on Christmas Island. He’d spent the intervening years on Nauru, locked up to make the Coalition government look tough and resolute.About four months ago, his Temporary Protection Visa expired. He’s waiting for the Minister to decide what happens next – another TPV, permanent residency or even, although it’s unlikely, deportation back to Afghanistan.

The fiction behind the TPV regime is that people recognised as refugees might be able to return home in a few years. Once things settle down. Chaman is a member of the Hazara ethnic minority who have been persecuted for centuries. Even if the Taliban were no longer a threat, Chaman and other Hazaras would still face terrifying persecution if they returned. Despite being recognised as a refugee, Chaman has to wait on the whim of a minister to decide his fate.

A Date With John Howard – November 24th

The PM dropped into see Michael Jeffery for a spot of tea, a scone or two and a smidgen of proroguing Parliament for the election on November the 24th.

So finally the race is on, properly. I’ve always been in favour of fixed terms of government intellectually, but it has only been at this election, when I’m also a candidate, that I realise just how awful the current situation is.

Advantages for the incumbent

Timing – can call a snap election in response to favourable news for them, or unfavourable news for their opposition.

Enrolment – Howard has wisely chosen not to make the timeframes as brutally short as he can under his changes to the electoral act, giving people who have turned 18 have until Wednesday to enrol, or those who have just changed address since the last election have until next Monday to update their enrolment either at the AEC or at their local post office.

Planning – can have schedules meticulously laid out working up to the actual election date. Can find out, without tipping your hand, which venues are available for functions at key times. Can book advertising ahead of time – both official party advertising and the blatantly corrupt use of taxpayer-funded government ads – in some cases, like with billboards, you can kill two birds with one stone by advertising yourself and depriving your opponents of the site, too.

Once More Unto The Breach: Another Wet Walk Against Warming?

This Saturday will see Queensland’s third annual Walk Against Warming.  Although instead of tying into international events, this one will be Queensland specific.  There will also be a national WAW two weeks before the election, and Queensland will participate in that as well, but it was thought that the impact could get a bit lost in the election frenzy. 

 

Walk Against Warming 2007

Rally 12.30 Queens Park (cnr George & Elisabeth Sts)

March to the Riverstage at Gardens Point for Entertainment, Speeches and Food Stalls

http://www.climatebrisbane.org/

This is an entry I wrote earlier in the year about WAW – particularly last year’s, which despite torrential rain, saw 1500 people rally for real action on climate change.

I Am The Eggman

 I’ve raised over $2,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation in the World’s Greatest Shave and money’s still trickling in – I think $2,500 is possible, I’ll report back at the end of the week.  Just under $900 was raised at Jeremy’s Cafe on Friday night, and more people have stuffed money into my hand and run off screaming in the two days since then.  (And one special person grabbed my bike and rode off chortling – see previous post).

There were so many people there on Friday night manically clutching so many different kinds of recording devices that in a few dozen millenia, when the next wave of civilisation evolves from ants or something, they’ll be able to use the footage of my head shaving as a Rosetta Stone * for obsolete technology formats.

My camera (in the hands of someone else obviously) ran out of batteries half way through the shaving, so I waited until today to post, after I’d got a copy of the photos my friend Mark took on the night.

Thanks to everyone who helped out, especially Nicole for organising the venue and food, Helga for the great invite, Jeremy for lending us his cafe for the night, and to Liz and Stuart for defoliating my head while leaving my face in place.

Photos below the fold.

Bald Britney Steals My Thunder

For the last few years, I’ve considered participating in the Shave for a Cure – usually about two or three days too late, which was some relief.

Unfortunately, this year I remembered in time, and seem to have accidentally registered myself while temporarily groggy from a concussion.  When I was just tossing up the idea of doing it for real this time, I mentioned it to a few people and kept hearing more stories of people who’ve been directly effected by cancer – not all leukaemia, but still, it reinforced the reasons for doing the shave in the first place.

Please – if you want to see the pathetic spectacle of a shaved Wookiee – click here to sponsor me, and remember, aside from the obvious reasons to donate money (charity towards people with cancer, evil intent towards me) – it’s also tax deductible.

UnAustralian Citizens And The Law

As bad as their public policy pronouncements often are, it is occasionally through their actions in court, that we see the absolute worst, and arguably, truest, reflection of the Coalition Government.

In the past, we’ve seen them argue (successfully) that they should be allowed to detain a stateless asylum-seeker forever if they refused to grant him asylum.

And on Monday, in court over the David Hicks case, they argued that they were under no obligation to act on behalf of any Australian citizen overseas.

Minority Reporter

Due to some unforeseen technical glitches, this site’s about 4 weeks overdue for launch.  Thanks to the inimitable Ms. O for guiding me through the setup.   Hopefully, I’ll be able to beat my mighty chest and bore people senseless with my opinions without begging her for too much more help in the future.

I’m starting this blog to spout off on the many social justice, political and environmental issues I care about, as well as putting my stance on record.  I don’t believe this site is likely to topple the government, but I will use it to stake out my territory outside of their supposed constituency of the silent majority.

I’m happy to engage in discussion of the issues, and to hear contrary views, as long as it remains civil disunion.

I didn’t get home until late from an organising meeting for the March 17th rally commemorating the 4th anniversary of the war in Iraq, so tomorrow the blogging will begin in earnest.

This Site is Under Construction

I promise to get it up and going before David Hicks is free; Kyoto is ratified or John Howard says sorry.

Until it’s complete, you’ll have to console yourselves with the following list of reasons to vote Liberal…